Case Study: The Twelve Step Model

Doug is a 55 year old white male; he is married and has two children both of whom are grown and out of the house (ages 24, 27). He has been married to his wife Betty for 30 years. Doug is self-employed and owns a heating and air conditioning business. Which he stated he feels like he is setting a bad example for his younger employees by arriving to work late and hungover. The patient appears to be oriented x3 with broad range affect and a somewhat somber mood. This is Doug’s first time in treatment for alcohol. He has been diagnosed by the guidelines of the DSM-5 with alcohol use disorder, severe. Doug mentioned that he is having a hard time dealing with the recent loss of his mother to cancer. He is struggling with grief and self-medicating …show more content…
This model is a multi-disciplinary approach to the treatment of addiction. This treatment is abstinence oriented and based upon the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. Twelve step programs consist of group therapy, lectures, family counseling, the use of a Twelve Step program, and the attendance at AA meetings. This model focuses on chemical dependency as the primary problem, and doesn’t blame the individual but rather sees addiction as a disease (Burke, Trost, de-Roon-Cassini & Bernstein, 2016, p. 466). Outcomes desired in Twelve Step treatment include acceptance of an alcoholic identity, acknowledgment of a loss of control/ powerlessness over the abused substance, and abstinence as a treatment goal (Burke, Trost, de-Roon-Cassini & Bernstein, 2016, p. 467). There is also a big emphasis on aftercare for individuals to stay sober once they are out of treatment which include securing a safe, sober living environment; attending AA or other Twelve Step support meetings several times each week; securing a sponsor in AA; and ongoing support and counseling sessions to continue the work begun in treatment (Burke, Trost, de-Roon-Cassini & Bernstein, 2016, p. …show more content…
He is also expected to participate in group and attend AA meeting regularly. Failure to do so will show that he may not be serious about treatment and will be kept in treatment until he shows that he has made significant progress in handling his addiction. After treatment it is strongly encouraged individuals still involve themselves in AA meetings to maintain a sober support system and stay on track (Burke, Trost, de-Roon-Cassini & Bernstein, 2016, p. 467). When Doug was first asked what his goals were for treatment he stated “I’m just here to take my life back, to prove to myself and my wife that I can stop. I’m sick of relying on alcohol just to make it through the day and ending up miserable every day.” Doug appears to be in the contemplation stage of change which means he is aware he has a problem and has begun to think about changes but has not made any commitment to change yet (Burke, Trost, de-Roon-Cassini & Bernstein, 2016, p.